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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28583538">Such Hazardous Terrain</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazukiNinja/pseuds/HazukiNinja'>HazukiNinja</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Angst, F/M, Faeries - Freeform, First Kiss, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hellhounds, Hurt/Comfort, Magical Realism, Online Friendship, Sort Of, Urban Fantasy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:41:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28583538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazukiNinja/pseuds/HazukiNinja</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yachi Hitoka is a half-faerie recluse, hiding from a government that would see her dead or enslaved. Kyoutani Kentarou is her mysterious internet friend and maybe-crush. She drags herself out of isolation to attend a magical girl anime convention, and everything goes to utter shit. </p><p>HQ Rarepair Week 2021</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kyoutani Kentarou/Yachi Hitoka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Such Hazardous Terrain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started when she was young. Just occasional flickers that were easy enough to hide — lights brightening slightly when Yachi laughed so hard she almost cried, or an extra sparkle to the fake diamonds on a tiara she wore during dress-up. Her mother watched her constantly and would quiz her on every activity when she came home from kindergarten, then elementary school. At first Yachi didn’t mind recounting her day in detail, in the excitable way of small children, but as she grew older it felt more like budding criticisms than actual interest that drove her mother to question her every action. Yachi started to feel insecure and nervous, even when her mother wasn’t around. </p><p>Then, in fourth grade, it happened. </p><p>It could have been worse, her mother said after the fact. It could have been in the classroom in front of dozens of students. </p><p>A classmate of Yachi’s lived in the same neighborhood, but they didn’t get along. He would often tease her, pull on her hair and clothes, and call her names. She didn’t like him and would do her best to leave school early or late to avoid him on her walks home. On that fateful day, however, Yachi was out of luck, and Yuuto followed her the whole way home from school, picking on her. </p><p>She was already stressed from a test she hadn’t done well on and feared her mother would scold her for, and Yuuto’s bullying was getting under her skin after putting up with it for months. So, it wasn’t particularly surprising that when he yanked her pigtail particularly hard, Yachi snapped. </p><p>A bright wall suddenly shot up between them, knocking Yuuto back and to the ground as if Yachi herself had shoved him. Yachi stared in shock as the wall wavered, then dissolved not a moment later. She met Yuuto’s equally wide, horrified eyes, then turned and ran. </p><p>Her mother found her hiding in her bed when she came home. After some none-too-gentle prodding, Yachi finally whispered what had happened. When she was met with silence, Yachi pulled the blankets down over her head and was met with the sight of her mother, normally fiercely striking and cooly collected, hunched over her knees, hands balled into fists on her thighs, silent tears streaming down her clenched face. </p><p>It was impossible to miss the fear in her mother’s expression, and that was what made Yachi finally break down and begin to sob. </p><p>That was the day Yachi learned about her father, the man her mother had claimed did not exist. “He was a light faerie. And I loved him.”</p><p>The magical folk of the world were rare, but not unknown. Their kind had existed alongside humanity since the beginning, some even saying before, but it was often in some sort of conflict. The most peaceful times in their shared history were ones of isolation, but that was nearly impossible in the modern era. Deemed a threat by most governments, magical folk were considered inhuman, without rights, and were hunted down to be put to work at best and neutralized at worst. </p><p>Some faeries fell into the former category. Water faeries, with their healing powers, were in high-demand around the world. The extremely wealthy would pay top dollar to have one in their collections.</p><p>Light faeries did not have such luck. </p><p>It was one of the early lessons in magical teaching that every child learned. The phrase “light faerie” tended to conjure up an image of innocence and brightness, but their powers were much greater than that. They could not control fire or heat, but they could form impenetrable walls of protection that could even be shaped into prisons. They could cast or take away light from any source, with some legends telling of an eclipse caused by a collection of powerful light faeries. But the most feared skill of the light faerie was something unexpected - the ability to manipulate people’s minds and emotions. </p><p>“Your father explained it to me like this — in times of fear or panic, the light faeries could keep their brethren calm and focused. Metaphorically bringing light in the darkness. They could soothe the depressed and weary, and smooth over negotiations between tribes if both sides consented. You have to summon a specific… emotion or idea, I guess, that you want the other person to feel or think, and project it onto them. I once asked… if he had used the power to make me fall in love with him.” Her mother let out a half-sob, and Yachi trembled by her side in sympathy and fear. “He said he would never. That it was a light faerie’s duty to be in control. It was why he wouldn’t even kiss me until he was sure I felt the same way about him, in case he slipped up.” </p><p>“C-can I? Have I?...” Yachi couldn’t even form the haunting question that swirled in her mind. </p><p>“I don’t think so. He said… he said it was a skill that didn’t develop until light faeries were older, one of the last skills to emerge, since it could be dangerous. It’s why the government is so scared of the light faeries. Imagine if one influenced a president into agreeing with a foreign power on something?” She grabbed Yachi by the shoulders. “You cannot use your powers. You have to keep it under control at all times. Do you understand, Hitoka? If they find you, they will take you away and there will be <em>nothing</em> I can do.” </p><p>It wasn’t until Yachi was a few years older that she understood that her mother wouldn’t be able to do anything not because she wouldn’t try, but because she’d likely be taken away for consorting with a light faerie and hiding his half-fae child. It hardened her resolve to keep her magic hidden and to move out as soon as she graduated high school. It was a feeble way to protect her mother, but maybe her mother could claim ignorance of it all. Maybe they would even believe her. </p><p>Yuuto did tell his mother what had happened, who reported it to the school, but Yachi’s mother flew into a rage at the administration, outlining the bullying that had been happening. “And now he’s claiming she’s what? Some sort of magical creature because he’s embarrassed that she finally snapped and pushed him away? I cannot <em>believe</em> the kind of behavior that’s being allowed here,” she snapped at the boy’s mother and the school representatives. “We’re done here. I will be withdrawing Hitoka and sending her to a private school that doesn’t condone such actions.” To their immense relief, the school and Yuuto’s mother believed them. Yachi couldn’t help but feel a touch of wicked delight when she heard from a classmate that Yuuto had been grounded for a month. It was only fair that he got punished, since she had to change schools.</p><p>The Yachi family ended up moving twice and Hitoka was forced to switch schools twice more due to magical incidents. Thankfully they were able to cover it up, but Yachi’s mother was terrified of them taking away her daughter.  </p><p>It was no surprise that the self-inflicted isolation (no birthday parties, no after-school activities, nothing where she might get over-emotional or accidentally touch someone), led to Hitoka developing social anxiety. She did her best to be friendly with her classmates, but she was always twitchy and found it difficult to speak clearly with others. By the time she found herself inching towards high school graduation, nobody really bothered to speak with her. “Nice but weird,” was the kindest thing her classmates said about her, if they ever bothered to even think of her. Yachi tried not to mind. She threw herself into her studies and her art and thrived in both.</p><p>What truly kept her sane, however, was her online niche. She could be anyone online, and over the years Yachi became a mildly popular internet presence in several fan groups for wildly different interests - Japanese volleyball, an older magical girl anime called <em>Attack! Princess</em>, and a team-based, battle arena video game. She sunk hours into her online hobbies, and the friendships she made through them gave her the human connection she craved. There were several people in each fandom she was particularly close to, but there was only one person whose interests perfectly overlapped with her own. </p><p>Ken-chan wasn’t the type of person Yachi would be friends with in real life, she thought to herself occasionally, but she was glad the internet had brought them together. When Yachi was a senior in high school, she had drawn up a silly graphic comparing certain members of the Japan Men’s National Volleyball Team to characters from her favorite magical girl anime and posted it online. As expected, it hadn’t gotten much response since there wasn’t much overlap in the fanbases. A few friends had commented on it, but a user she didn’t recognize left a comment arguing that two players should be switched. It wasn’t a particularly mean comment, so she responded in earnest, maintaining her decision. </p><p>The conversation had quickly switched to their DMs when the comments got too involved and numerous. At one point Yachi scrolled through the other person’s profile and was surprised to see plenty of volleyball content, as well as posts about her favorite video game, but nothing about the anime in question. When she brought it up, he replied, <em>I’m not a mega fan or anything, my older sister just watched a bunch of it when we were kids</em>.</p><p><em>For someone who claims not to be a fan, you sure have a lot of opinions on the matter (¯▿¯) How did you even find my post??</em> Yachi typed back, throwing in an emoji to soften her tone. The conversation had been one of the most fun she’d had in a while, she didn’t want him to stop replying. His response surprised her. </p><p>
  <em>I’ve been following you for a while. You post a lot of volleyball and video game content.</em>
</p><p>The conversation continued to flow, and it was only natural that they’d ended up playing a video game match online together. When their voice chat first connected, Yachi was happy to hear he had a low, quiet voice. It had a bit of a rough edge to it, but she found it relaxing to listen to, though he didn’t say much. However, once the game started, it was like a switch had been flipped. Yachi nearly jumped out of her seat when Ken had started yelling over his mic. She didn’t do well with loud, angry people and she considered dropping out of the game, but her brain caught up to the fact that he was yelling at their teammates for not covering her while she launched an attack on the enemy. </p><p>It was one of the first times someone who wasn’t her mother stood up for her, and Yachi reveled in the warm feeling it caused in her. She still jumped every time he snapped, and occasionally it would be directed at her, much to her mortification, but kept telling herself it was okay. And surprisingly, it was.</p><p>Three years later, and they talked almost constantly. Sometimes Ken-chan would go offline for days at a time, often with no warning, but Yachi had grown used to it. She only asked about it a few times earlier on in their friendship, but she quickly learned to drop it. Everyone had something to hide online. She knew that better than most.</p><p>Yachi hummed as she shaded in part of her drawing. “Turning out okay?” Ken-chan rumbled. </p><p>She shifted the tablet in her lap to get a better angle. “It’s okay, I guess? I don’t know, I’ve been staring at it for so long I can’t even tell anymore.”</p><p>“You can send it to me, if you want.” </p><p>Yachi smiled absentmindedly. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt you.”</p><p>“It’s fine.” She could hear him rustling on his bed. “I already know the Hornets are gonna get their asses handed to them by the Green Rockets.”</p><p>“Yeah, it wasn’t a super exciting match. You really didn’t miss much.”</p><p>“Is there a V.League match this weekend, or are they off? Can’t remember. Can barely remember the day of the week,” she heard him mutter, mostly to himself.</p><p>“EJP Raijin against the Red Falcons I think?”</p><p>He grunted, and it was quiet again. They often spent hours like this, just keeping each other on voice chat to fill up the emptiness. Yachi had moved out as soon as she graduated high school, against the protests of her mother, and began doing remote work for a design firm. Her life was dominated by the small apartment with only occasional trips to the grocery store at odd hours breaking her isolation. Yachi wasn’t sure what Ken’s situation was, but he rarely left his room. She would have thought he was a hikikomori if not for the sporadic trips he made.</p><p>Yachi sighed and set the tablet down on her bed at her side. “I’ve been thinking…”</p><p>She heard a sound on his end, then silence. She took it as permission to continue. </p><p>“I… kinda want to go to that <em>Attack! Princess</em> convention in Tokyo.”</p><p>“So go.”</p><p>She narrowed her eyes at her phone. “I can’t just go. I’d have to travel to even get to the city, probably stay in a hotel, and oh my god, the tickets alone are a fortune—”</p><p>“Why even bring it up if you’re just gonna talk yourself out of it?” Ken asked bluntly. It used to make Yachi nervous, thinking he was constantly angry with her, but over the years she got over it. Now it just made her wish he was here so she could throw a pillow at him for being an unhelpful butt.</p><p>“Because I think I want you to talk me into it? Auuugh, I don’t even know… It just makes me so nervous, but it’s also the 25th anniversary celebration, and it would be so cool to be there in person.”</p><p>He sighed, and she could imagine him rolling his eyes at her. “Hitoka. You should get outside. Live your life.”  </p><p>“You know it’s not that simple. I have that condition that makes it difficult to be around crowds.” </p><p>They’re both silent, contemplative in their respective bubbles. Yachi knew she should be thinking about the logistics of attending a two-day convention 400 kilometers away, but her thoughts were solely occupied by her desperate desire to have Ken sitting there in her room with her. Over the past three years she had considered asking him to meet, but the frequency of this thought had steadily increased in the last year after she moved into her tiny apartment after graduation. </p><p>Yachi knew part of it was due to her struggles with isolation. At least when she lived with her mother there was someone she could hug. She was even able to practice her magic on her mother, despite Hitoka’s protests, after she had insisted that Hitoka might need to defend herself someday. Now the most human contact she had was when she collected deliveries at her front door and their hands occasionally bumped. </p><p>Still, it was really only Ken-chan that she wanted to meet. Yachi had other online friends that she could picture herself going to conventions with, or even going out for a coffee or shopping with, but she wanted him around for everything. Dumb movie nights with takeout, grocery shopping, walks in the park… she sometimes texted him or called him during these outings, but having his actual presence there was something she craved more than almost anything.   </p><p>“You could wear a costume that kept people from touching you. Would that be enough?”</p><p>The rumble of his voice dragged her away from her thoughts and she blushed furiously. “L-Like what?” She stuttered.</p><p>“I dunno. Get a giant ball and pretend you’re Makoto trapped in the light faerie’s trap.”</p><p>Yachi’s heart pounded, but she managed to squeak out, “I- I don’t think that will work. I mean,” she waved her hands around her head, trying to grasp a reason, “I doubt they’d let me in the convention with a costume like that! And, and everyone would be staring, which would be...” She couldn’t even begin to describe the horror of that many eyes on her at once.</p><p>“Hm. So it’s the looking, not the touching?”</p><p>“I mean… neither are good…”</p><p>Yachi heard him typing. “One second,” he grunted. She laid on her bed and listened to the sounds of Ken, letting it soothe her spiking anxiety. <em>If just talking about these things is enough to make me want to hide under my blankets, I really shouldn’t be going out… Mom would have a heart attack if she knew I was even considering this.</em></p><p>“What about Eri?”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“The girl from the labyrinth episode. She’s got like, a turtleneck, cargo pants, and gloves.”</p><p>Yachi bolted upright. “<em>Oh my god</em>.” Ken chuckled. “Ken-chan, you’re a genius!” She lurched off her bed to snag a notebook of her desk, tossing ideas around as Ken occasionally grunted or made a suggestion. </p><p>Eventually she dropped the notebook in her lap and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. “I’m probably going to have to make that weird, bejeweled compass, aren’t I?”</p><p>“Unless you wanna pay a shitton for some garbage piece from China that won’t arrive until three weeks after the convention, then yeah, probably.” </p><p>Yachi giggled and twirled the end of her ponytail. “You’ve got a point. Guess I’m stuck trying to wield a glue gun and hoping for the best.” Glancing down, she added, “Maybe I should go all in. Dye my hair.”</p><p>“Your hair isn’t black?”  </p><p>“Ah, n-no. It’s blonde.”</p><p>“Huh.”</p><p>“What?” Smiling, Yachi slid down the wall until she flopped on her side on the bed. “My profile image shows me with blonde hair.”</p><p>“Yeah, but it’s drawing, not a photo. Thought it was just an aesthetic thing.”</p><p>“Pretending to be blonde online for the cool internet points?”</p><p>“Somethin’ like that, yeah. Is that…” He paused. “...what you actually look like then?”</p><p>“I guess? Kinda?” She thought about the doodle she had done years ago and never bothered updating. “My hair’s longer now, but I had that hairstyle for years. The eye color is correct, too.”</p><p>“Huh.”</p><p><em>‘Huh,’ indeed,</em> Yachi wondered. Despite the years of talking, they had never seen each other’s faces. Both refused to post any photos online and neither had any real-life friends on their fan or video game accounts. This kind of conversation was new territory for them, and, if Yachi wanted to be perfectly honest, she wanted more. She swallowed down her embarrassment and tried to summon a few more ounces of courage.</p><p>“...Ken-chan?” Her voice wavered slightly, and she clenched her teeth.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“W-what… what color is your hair?”</p><p>It’s quiet for a moment, before he snorted. “I’m a blonde too.”</p><p>Yachi grinned. “We’re twins!”</p><p>“Guess so.”</p><p>“Ahhh… that kind of makes me happy.”</p><p>He snorted again. “You’re so weird.”</p><p>“Yeah well, you’re friends with a weirdo.”</p><p>She heard him shift. “Yeah.” The soft, simple admission made her face flush.</p><p>“Hey, Hitoka.”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Can I... send you something?”  </p><p>Her blush deepened intensely and her mouth popped open in shock. “Um… um? You- what?” She squeaked.</p><p>“You can say no.”</p><p>“I mean… w-what do you want to send me?”</p><p>Ken sighed. “...a surprise.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s really nice of you Ken-chan, but, um, I really don’t care for, um, surprises that much, and, and-”</p><p>“It’s something for your Eri costume. I wanna make sure you go to the damn convention. And don’t say anything about it being a bother, ‘cause it wouldn’t be,'' he added, cutting her off before she can even begin to protest. Part of Yachi wanted to grumble, but most of her is overflowing with delighted shock. </p><p>“...are you sure?” She finally managed.</p><p>“Wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t. Though it might suck, so don’t get your hopes up or anything.”</p><p>“I won’t!” She insisted, and he laughed roughly. “Okay. Send me an address.”</p><p>--</p><p>The train ride was relatively painless, all things considered. She took an overnight option to avoid other people and managed to check into a hotel room to catch a few extra hours of sleep before the convention. </p><p>After a barely-adequate room-service breakfast, Yachi pulled on her costume. It wasn’t particularly flashy and could even pass as normal clothing in a place like Tokyo, but a few fans might recognize her today. The thought made her smile. </p><p>Then, with barely-trembling hands, she pulled out a small box from her suitcase. She held it for a moment before taking off the lid and lifting out the wooden compass. </p><p>It wasn’t as perfect as some of the expensive models online, but the rough edges gave it a rustic, authentic look. The jewels were clearly fake, though their placement perfectly mirrored the version seen in the TV show. He’d even attempted to carve the design into the lid, though she could see where he had accidentally chipped off an extra bit of wood. The note he had included apologized for the flaw, but she didn’t care. Ken-chan had clearly put so much effort into this, a gift for Yachi, and it was without a doubt one of her greatest treasures. The note itself, with its bold, slashing handwriting, was another treasure.</p><p>
  <em>Hitoka—</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sorry I fucked up the carving. Hope you like it anyways. I’ll make you something better for the next Attack! Princess convention if I can. Have fun.   </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ken</em>
</p><p>She clutched the compass tightly to her chest and wished she could thank Ken in person. </p><p>The lights flickered overhead, and Yachi froze. Quickly setting the compass down on the bed, she took deep, calming breaths and rubbed her hands on her thighs in an attempt to ground herself. Glancing around the hotel room, she settled on the patterned carpet and started to count the number of squares she could see. “1, 2, 3, 4,” she mumbled to herself, letting herself fall into the rhythm. 28 carpet squares later, Yachi could feel herself beginning to calm down, and she sighed at her own melodramatics.  </p><p>Delicately picking the compass back up, she attached it to the clip on her suspenders and examined her reflection in the mirror. She turned to examine herself from all angles and smiled at the results. She’d kept her hair as-is, scared of trying to dye her hair on her own and not wanting to deal with the hassle of wearing a wig, but the rest of the cosplay seemed close to perfect.</p><p>Nodding, Yachi collected her satchel, a very useful costume detail, and made her way to the hotel room door. She slipped on her boots, reached for the handle, then paused. Slowly, she turned around and walked back to the mirror. Calm, she chanted in her mind as she slipped out her phone. <em>I am calm.</em></p><p>Before she could change her mind, Yachi opened the camera app and pointed it at the mirror. She tried out a few different poses before reluctantly settling on one where she just looked at the mirror straight on. She cropped out her face, just leaving the bottom of her chin visible so she didn’t look like a headless freak, and sent it to Ken with a smiley face. </p><p>She took a breath. Then another one. Then Yachi threw her phone on the bed and screamed, sparks dancing in the air around her. </p><p>It took another half-hour, but Yachi managed to calm herself down enough to collect her phone and stagger towards the door, where she squared her shoulders. She had an <em>Attack! Princess</em> convention to attend. </p><p>--</p><p>It was everything Yachi had hoped it would be. Sure, it was a little crowded, but she kept her wits about her and managed to keep herself focused, even as strangers jostled her. It helped that there were so many amazing things to look at that nobody was staring at her, though two people had complimented her Eri cosplay to her immense pleasure and horrific embarrassment.</p><p>She texted Ken to let him know, though she knew he wouldn’t respond. To her disappointment, he had gone offline yesterday and would miss all of her live commentary. Still, she had other <em>Attack! Princess</em> friends to squeal to online, though she took care not to mention it to those she knew would also be present. Part of her mourned the loss to meet some of her internet friends in real life, but she also knew it was better this way. </p><p>Hours later, her heart light but her bag heavy with merchandise, Yachi made her way back to the hotel where she threw her bag to the floor, stripped off her boots and gloves, and promptly flung herself on the bed in exhaustion.</p><p>A long while and one surprise-nap later, she awoke, ravenous for anything that wasn’t room service. She pulled up an app of restaurant reviews and spotted the name of a famous restaurant that was miraculously still open and barely a mile away. Without a second thought Yachi was off the bed, out the door, and headed for the elevators. It was only when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the sleek metal doors that she realized she was still in her costume. She fidgeted, debating whether she should go change, but eventually shrugged her shoulders. <em>It’s Tokyo,</em> she hummed to herself as she stepped outside. <em>They’re used to things like this here I bet. And I look pretty kick-ass.</em> She touched her compass with a smile and set off down the street.          </p><p>The “barely a mile” felt a lot longer as she nervously cut down an industrial-looking street. Yachi hadn’t realized the route would be so dark and barren, considering they were in the heart of the capital, but she was surrounded by office buildings that were abandoned on weekend evenings. She gulped at the eerie lack of people, but tried to accept it for the gift that it was for someone like her. </p><p>The reassurance wouldn’t last for long.</p><p>As she walked by the open mouth of an alley, sudden noises assaulted her ears and made her fumble for her phone. Peering down into the darkness, Yachi was startled to see the shapes of several men moving frantically around a lump against the wall. The lump growled and she watched as one of the men stumbled back, clutching a leg, while the figure struggled to stand. Her heart beat wildly when she realized it wasn’t some poor dog they were beating, but a person.  </p><p>She couldn’t contain her gasp, and the motions in the alley suddenly stopped. </p><p>“Nothing to see here, miss. Get moving before we change our minds.”</p><p>Yachi swallowed and glanced down at her phone. Her compass swayed in the corner of her eye, and she clutched the phone harder. </p><p>She didn’t want to be a hero. She wasn’t brave like Princess Makoto from <em>Attack! Princess</em>, a beloved champion of all with magical powers that somehow didn’t get her locked away. She was just… Yachi Hitoka, an internet nerd with few friends and a timebomb inside her. </p><p>She hesitated, eyes tracing the design carved on the compass. She could imagine Ken-chan’s voice in her head: <em>Be brave, Hitoka</em>. That’s what he’d meant when he’d sent her the compass she was sure.  </p><p>Eri didn’t have powers, and Eri still managed to lead Princess Makoto out of the labyrinth and save the day. She just had to be brave for one episode. </p><p>Yachi took a breath to calm her nerves. “I… I’m calling the police,” she called out, pulling up her phone app and backing away. She glanced down to type in the emergency number as she stepped further into the street light. </p><p>She didn’t see the man slumped against the wall straighten up as his eyes widened, taking her in. His eyes dragged themselves up her form, hovering over the costume, her blonde ponytail, and the rough wooden compass dangling from her suspenders.</p><p>She did notice when a sharp cry came from the alley, and snapped up her head with a squeak.</p><p>One of the men was running towards her, but it was hard to tell if he was set on attacking her or just escaping the thrashing that was taking place behind him. Whoever they had been beating had clearly found their second wind. </p><p>Yachi’s feet felt frozen to the ground, and she could feel the warm core of magic inside of her starting to bubble in response. She was caught between trying to shove it down while trying to convince her body to run, when suddenly the man headed her way smashed down into the pavement. </p><p>A man loomed behind the crumpled body, and Yachi’s fear ratched up even further. It took every ounce of control not to thrust out a blinding ball of light into his terrifying face as he stalked closer to her, and she shook uncontrollably when he stopped a mere handful of feet away. His brown eyes bore into hers.</p><p>“...Hitoka?”</p><p>The low, gravely whisper sent a shiver up her spine. </p><p>“H-how do you know my name?” She clutched her phone close to her chest, the emergency number still pulled up on her screen. She didn’t think she could escape, but maybe they would hear her screams over the phone and send a nearby police officer.</p><p>He frowned harder, something she had thought was impossible, but he made no further movements towards her. Instead, his eyes dropped down to the compass. His mouth tightened, and after a moment he said slowly, “That chip is driving me crazy the longer I stare at it. I would’ve started over, but there wasn’t enough time.”</p><p>Yachi’s heart went from a wildly pulsating ball of energy to solid rock. Her mind was void of any thoughts as she stared, taking in loose jeans, a leather jacket, and close-cropped hair. Blonde hair, with two black stripes racing through it.</p><p>It was impossible. There was no chance that this was him.</p><p>But how else would he know?</p><p>“...Ken-chan?”</p><p>He nodded once, sharp, never breaking eye-contact. She swayed forward a step. </p><p>“Oh my god. Ken-chan.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>They could see nothing else but each other, traces of wonder obvious in their gaze. That was why neither of them noticed one of the men in the alley tentatively stand up, lock onto Ken’s turned back, and slink towards them. </p><p>Yachi’s eyes widened as she saw the man make the final rush towards them. Ken saw the look in her face and had only started to turn when the man cried out, “<em>Die, monster!</em>” and swung with a knife. </p><p>Her hands shot out before she could think. A bright wall, better than any she had made in practice in the safety of her or her mother’s apartment, shot up between the two men and the knife skid harmlessly off of it, bouncing out of the attacker’s hand. Yachi shoved, and the wall slammed into the man, knocking him to the ground, and suddenly Ken was there, his hands gripping mercilessly around the attacker’s throat.</p><p>She dropped the wall and lunged forward to grab the back of Ken’s jacket. Tugging wildly, she cried out, “Let’s go, please, we have to go!” She could feel the tears rushing down her face. </p><p>Ken swiveled his head towards her. Part of her mind worried that he would turn his hands on her throat, now that he surely knew what she was, but she pushed it away. This was Ken-chan. Maybe he would understand. He probably wouldn’t be her friend anymore, but she didn’t think he would kill her or turn her in. Maybe.</p><p>Slowly, he loosened his grip and stood up while the other man groaned on the ground. Ken gave him a swift kick to the stomach with a boot-clad foot, and Yachi flinched. </p><p>“Let’s go,” Ken grunted, and walked back out onto the main street. Yachi followed quietly. </p><p>They only made it a block before he grabbed her by the arm and swung her into a different alleyway. She hunched her shoulders, waiting to be hit, but was surprised to find Ken pressed up against the opposite wall, watching her. She noticed his own shoulders were hunched, his hands thrust deep into pockets. </p><p>“You need to run.”</p><p>She blinked. That wasn’t what she expected to hear. “What?”</p><p>“You need to run as fast and far away from me as you can. You can’t go home. I know where you live, and I’ll follow. The best I can give you is probably a 15-minute head start.” </p><p>Her nerves began to hum under her skin, icy cold. “I- I don’t understand what you’re saying. Ken-chan—”</p><p>He jerked down the zipper of his jacket and pulled away the high collar. A leather collar fit snuggly, low around his neck, with glistening gold characters pressed into it.</p><p><em>Hunter</em>, her mind whispered in absolute terror. </p><p>Yachi had only asked about her father’s absence once, on that fateful day in fourth grade. “Hunter,” her mother had gritted out, and that was the end of that conversation. Hunters were magical folk, or half-fae like Yachi herself, who had been captured by the government and forced to hunt down others like them. Little was known about them, but they were widely feared by magical and non-magical folk alike. The only distinct tell that would give a hunter away was the magic collar they wore which controlled their actions. </p><p>And Ken-chan was one of them. </p><p>“No.” She shook her head. “You can’t be.”</p><p>“Hitoka. You have to run. I won’t be able to resist.”</p><p>“I’m only half,” she blurted out tearfully. “Does that make any difference?”</p><p>“No,” he ground out, eyes clenched shut as he pressed his back harder into the wall. “Go. Now.”</p><p>She stared at him. He was finally here in front of him, for the first time in three years. It was a dream and a nightmare, and all she wanted to do was to reach out and hug her closest friend and the man that she knew she had been secretly falling in love with over the last year.  </p><p>“<em>Please, Hitoka.</em>”</p><p>Ken-chan never said please.</p><p>She looked down at her hands. They shook violently. </p><p>Princess Makoto’s hands never shook. Then again, she was a cartoon character and she wasn’t here right now.</p><p>“D-Does the collar compel your b-body or your mind?”</p><p>“...what?”</p><p>She sucked in a steadying breath. “Does the collar make your body m-move against your will, but you can think whatever you want? Or does it, like, create intrusive thoughts or suddenly force you to change your mind?”</p><p>His eyes were open now. <em>They’re such a beautiful color</em>, she thought absently before she pushed aside that part of her mind. She had to be absolutely focused right now.</p><p>“...the second one. It’s… kind of like having a split personality, I guess.” </p><p>Something unclenched in Yachi’s chest and a surprising wave of calm rushed over her. There might be something she could do about this. She walked towards him, and he tried to edge away from her. </p><p>“You need to go. I don’t want to hurt you.”</p><p>“Ken-chan, I might be able to help.”</p><p>“You can’t take the collar off. Most hunters have tried at some point, it’s pointless.” He reached out a hand towards her, then snapped it back. “I can’t hold on forever. It’s…” His jaw clenched, and Yachi felt her hand twitch, not with nerves for once, but with the desire to touch Ken and soothe him. </p><p>“I’m not a full light faerie, but I have some powers, and they’re not constrained by a magical collar. I have an idea.”</p><p>“You can’t.” He did grab her now, but it wasn’t violent. He gripped her shoulders and shook her lightly. “It’s warped me, or maybe I was always like this. I want to hunt. I enjoy it. Even if you took it off, I’d still be a monster.” His mouth dropped into a self-deprecating sneer, and Yachi felt an icy shard of fear cut through the adrenaline.</p><p>“H-How long have you worn the collar?” She reached up to touch it, but felt nothing. Maybe it was personalized to each wearer. </p><p>“They captured me in middle school.”</p><p>She swallowed as she looked at him. He looked about the same age as her, maybe a bit older. He’d been doing this for so long. Maybe it really had changed him. Yachi mentally shook her head at the doubt, and pushed on.</p><p>“What… what kind of fae are you? If you don’t mind me asking?”</p><p>He dropped his hands from her and turned away. “They told me my father was some sort of hellhound. He never mentioned it, and I haven’t seen him or my sister to ask since they took us.”</p><p>A hellhound. Her mind swam as she tried to remember what she could about that particular fae. Relief brought a small smile to her face, and Ken stared openly. “Hellhounds are compelled to hunt, Ken. That’s part of your nature, and the collar is probably preying on that fact to manipulate your mind. But hellhounds are supposed to be protectors, guarding their people, and taking orders from their master.” </p><p>It was quiet as they stared at each other, the distant sounds of the city barely touching their ears. </p><p>“Do you trust me, Ken-chan?”</p><p>“Yes.” He looked at her with such intensity that Yachi felt a blush creep into her chest. “Do it. Whatever you’re planning, just do it. And if it doesn’t work, you have to kill me.”</p><p>She would have jerked back, but he’d grabbed onto her sleeve. “K-k-kill—”</p><p>“It’s too late for you to escape, and if you just imprison me I’ll be forced to hunt you down. If this is my only chance at escaping their control I want to take it, whatever form it comes in.” She felt his thumb stroke her arm, a single solitary motion. “The collar keeps me from killing myself, or I would have already done it.”</p><p>Yachi could feel the tears on her face. “I don’t want you to die.” It was a selfish sentiment, she knew. She could see the pain on his face, hear it in his voice, but she so desperately did not want to live a life without him. But as she looked into his eyes, she knew what she would do. This was what he wanted, and she would give it to him, because she loved him. Yachi could be brave for him, even if it made her want to die too.</p><p>“O-okay,” she finally muttered. “I g-guess I just won’t mess up then.”</p><p>He nodded and squeezed her wrist before dropping it. “We’re running out of time, so do it quickly.” His shoulders suddenly jumped and his mouth twisted in pain. Yachi did her best to clear her mind as she reached up and touched the collar, careful not to touch bare skin.</p><p>“I’m sorry we had to meet like this,” he whispered hoarsely, and Yachi blinked away fresh tears.</p><p>“Me too,” she replied softly. </p><p>Yachi had no idea if this would work, but she prayed it would. She envisioned the magical wall of light she could summon and pictured it sliding between the collar and Ken’s skin, fully wrapping itself around the collar like a plastic wrapper. She steadied the warm core of magic she felt inside of her, and emptied her mind as best as she could.</p><p>What was the best way to phrase her request? The wording had to be precise if she hoped to overcome whatever magic was imbued in the collar. She also had to keep it fairly neutral, in case it leaked into Ken’s mind.</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t hurt him anymore?” No, that could keep Ken from attacking people if it influenced him. “Stop working?” No, too broad. Argh, what can I say…</em>
</p><p>A hand suddenly latched onto her shoulder, nails digging in deep. It snapped her concentration and she stared at him. “Sorry,” he rumbled. “You have to hurry up. I can’t… my control…” He grunted, and jerked his hand away with obvious effort.</p><p>“It’s okay,” she soothed, her heart pounding. “Y-You already have me, don’t you? I’m right here. I’m, I’m not running. You’ve captured me, right? So there’s no need to get anxious.”</p><p>She watched as he slumped. “Is that light faerie influence?” He choked out. </p><p>“No, I’m just telling the truth and trying to get the collar to calm down. I… I have to have skin contact to use my influence, since I’m only half.”</p><p>Ken sighed heavily. “Helped a bit. Focus on what you’re doing.”</p><p>She scrambled to return to her zen-like mindset. A few more phrases flowed through her mind, and then she landed on one that she thought might work. </p><p>In one part of her mind Yachi summoned the image of her light wall again, and in the other she held a single idea: <em>cleanse.</em> She pictured pristine glacial lakes without a single ripple, the smell of cleaning products, blank pages in a notebook, and a bright light, burning away the darkness. </p><p>She took these, gathered her magic, and gently pushed them into the collar. </p><p>Ken let out a painful cry and slumped forward. She jerked back her hand in surprise, but the glow around the collar remained. He held one of his hands with the other, digging into it so hard that she saw specks of blood, and the whites of his eyes shone in the dim light. </p><p>“Oh god, are you hurting? Are you okay? Should I break it? S—”</p><p>He reached out a hand towards her, but she skittered backwards, scared of possible skin contact. “I’m… okay.” Ken heaved out. “Hurts, but good hurt. Don’t break it.”</p><p>“O-okay.” </p><p>They remained like that for another few minutes until voices sent them scuttling further into the alley. “We, uh, should probably go elsewhere? In case those guys come back?” Yachi tentatively spoke. </p><p>Ken grunted, and straightened slightly. “I can walk.”</p><p>“My… my hotel isn’t far. Unless you have a better idea?” </p><p>He eyed her. “How long will your magic last?” </p><p>She glanced down. “As long as I’m with you, the barrier should hold. It’ll fall away when I sleep though.” At his growl, her head shot up and Yachi started frantically waving her hands. “This was just a temporary solution though! I have… well, I kind of have a long-term solution? Maybe? We can talk about it when we get to the hotel. I took a nap earlier, so I’ll be awake for ages, I swear!”</p><p>Ken didn’t look pleased, but he gave a short nod. He straightened up fully and turned to exit the alley when Yachi stopped him with a hand on his jacket. </p><p>“Um… your collar…” When he stared at her blankly, Yachi stepped in front of him and, hesitantly, pulled up the zipper of his leather jacket, hiding the collar. “It was glowing, because of my magic,” she whispered as her hand lingered briefly on him. Her heart raced, and when she looked up, he was watching her closely. </p><p>It may have been a trick of the light, but she swore she saw him blush.</p><p>They finally made it to her hotel room after an agonizingly slow walk that left Yachi an anxious mess. As soon as the door closed, Ken put himself in a chair on the far side of the room and left her standing by the exit. </p><p>She opened her mouth to ask him a question when her stomach growled viciously. Yachi went scarlet, and Ken cracked a smile. </p><p>“Room service?”</p><p>“That sounds good! I was on my way to get dinner, when, uh, I saw you.” She wished she could sink into the floor. “Um, do you want anything?”</p><p>Yachi called in the order, and they waited quietly for their food, mostly watching each other. Yachi sat in the middle of the bed, and thought about how much she hated that this was how their first time alone was unfolding, in this musty, beige hotel room, Ken covered in scratches and bruises. Yet at the same time, inexplicably, she had never been happier. The food eventually arrived, breaking the odd silence, and they ate their meals quietly. </p><p>“What are you smiling about?” He asked, jostling his leg up and down as he stared intently at her, setting his plate of chicken and rice aside. “Figure out how to make this collar fix permanent?”</p><p>The smile she didn’t even realize she was wearing slid from her face. “A-Ah, no, sorry. I was just…” She shook her head and stabbed her chopsticks into her bowl before setting it on the side table. “Nevermind, it’s not important.”</p><p>“...Tell me anyways.”</p><p>“N-no, it’s really noth—”</p><p>“Hitoka.” She bit her lip and looked up at him, enthralled with hearing her name on his lips in person. “This might be the last time we talk, unless we figure this—” he gestured towards the collar— “shit out. So just tell me.”</p><p>“I…” Yachi cleared her throat. “I’m just happy I got to meet you. Even like this. I know this is awful, and I’m trying so hard not to freak out right now, but, I mean, I was going to get caught someday? I had hoped I had more time, but I knew things would probably turn out like this. Well, not exactly like <em>this</em> but,” she took a breath, trying to stop her rambling, “it’s fine! Even if this is the end of the line for me, I had some good experiences. My mother knows I love her. I got to meet Ken-chan. What else could I ask for? It’s a pretty good story arc for a side character like me,” she added with a half-hearted chuckle.</p><p>He suddenly jolted to his feet and rapidly closed the gap between them. He was tall, so much taller than Yachi, and he practically loomed over her now. She managed to contain the embarrassing peep that threatened to bubble up her throat, but it was close.</p><p>“You should ask for a lot more than that.” </p><p>“But… I don’t want anything else? Or I mean, there isn’t anything else that’s possible for me. The world isn’t going to stop hunting me. My father’s probably dead.” She shrugged and twirled the end of her ponytail nervously, unsure of what else there was to say. </p><p>Ken slowly crawled onto the bed to sit in front of her, and Yachi clenched her hands to keep from reaching out to him. “Can I tell you something now?”</p><p>She nodded, unable to form a single word in her shock.</p><p>“I said I would have killed myself already if not for the collar,” he said haltingly, but without preamble. Yachi tried not to flinch. “But that wasn’t the only reason. You... have been the only bright spot in this horrible existence.” He reached out a hand and rested it on her wrist, just above her bare hand. “You should ask for a lot more,” Ken repeated, “And I would do my best to give it all to you.”</p><p>Her mouth dropped open. Ken leaned towards her. “I’m going to kiss you, Hitoka.”</p><p>“You can’t,” she whispered, though she swayed closer towards him. “I could influence you.”</p><p>“Better your influence than theirs.”</p><p>And then their mouths touched in a tentative, warm kiss. His hand slipped over the back of her neck, drawing her closer, and Yachi ran her own hand through his short, soft hair. Their lips moved gently against each other, and Yachi made soft, embarrassing sounds that made Ken growl gently in response and lightly nip at her lip. The only thoughts that danced through her mind were his name. </p><p>Eventually, they broke apart, both breathing a little quicker than usual.</p><p>“Talk me through your plan and your powers. Get this collar off me and we can run away together.” He squeezed her hand before pulling away. She appreciated the chance to breathe, but the topic change nearly gave her whiplash.</p><p>“I- What? Where would we run away to?”</p><p>“There have been rumors of havens for magical folk. Some countries are more lenient to their existence, if they stay out of eyesight.” </p><p>The news filled Yachi with something she hadn’t felt in years: hope. It was quickly consumed with fear, however.</p><p>“But I don’t have a passport! And, and my mother, and my job…”</p><p>“Collar first. Stress later.” His tone was stern, but she took comfort in it after so many hours of hearing the same voice guide their team to victory in video games online. </p><p>“O-okay. You’re right.” She inhaled deeply. “My powers are typical for a light faerie, I think, at least according to the books written by humans. I can create walls of light that reflect harm, though I can’t do permanent light prisons like true faeries can. I have to remain near them for them to hold. I can create and block light sources, though I’m not sure how big I can go? I’ve just practiced on some lights in my apartment, nothing much bigger. Um…”</p><p>“Tell me about the mind control.”</p><p>“It’s not really mind control! I mean, I guess it kind of is. If I touch someone directly, skin-to-skin, I can change their minds about things. If they’re scared, I can take away fear. If they’re angry, I can soothe them until they’re calm. And I can… plant ideas in someone’s head. Or rather, I can open their mind to an idea? Like, I don’t know if that’s just the full extent of the ability or if my powers are just weaker because I’m only half, but when I tried to convince my mom that she liked natto, which she despises, the best I could do was getting her not to gag if I ate it around her. Which was a huge improvement, but still not a perfect success rate.”</p><p>He tapped the collar. “What did you do with this?”</p><p>Yachi twisted her fingers together nervously. “I… I created a protective wall between you and the collar, and then I tried to imbue it with my influence. I chose to fill it with the idea of “cleansing,” to sort of negate the collar’s magic. I was worried if I chose a stronger sentiment it might end up influencing you.”</p><p>Ken narrowed his eyes in thought. “Is it… cleansed, then? If you removed the shielding, would it still influence me or would the magic be gone?”</p><p>“I… don’t really know? I don’t even know if the influence worked, since it’s not a person, or if it’s just the protective wall doing all the work. I haven’t exactly had the chance to test this out on magical artifacts before…”</p><p>He growled and tapped his finger against his knee. “You said you had another long-term plan.”</p><p>Yachi bent over and hid her face in her hands. It was such an awful idea; she wished she had never even mentioned it. Reluctantly, her voice muffled, she said, “I… I could try to influence you. If it’s stronger than the c-collar, it might stop working.”</p><p>She didn’t have to look up to know he was frowning. “You said you couldn’t change minds.”</p><p>“T-This would be different from the natto thing. You’re already actively resistant to the collar after all... I think a lot of it would depend on the command I tried to use.” </p><p>She heard him breathe out, frustrated, but he said nothing. Instead, he just knocked his knee against hers, prompting her to continue. A distant part of her mind wanted to smile at how well she was able to read him in person, but she shooed the thought away.</p><p>“That’s kind of what I’m stuck on. I could tell you to ignore the collar’s orders, but if a light faerie helped make this, they might have built a way to counter that? I’m not sure what true light faeries are capable of, so it’s hard to guess.”</p><p>She peeked out between her fingers when she felt the bed shift. Ken had completely flopped on the bed, his hands running through his close-cropped hair. “Fuck. I’m not good with words.”</p><p>Yachi laughed as she fought off a blush at the sight. “You’ve always been better than you thought you were.” She curled onto her own side, careful not to touch him. “Any ideas?”</p><p>“...you could tell me to obey you.”</p><p>Yachi gaped at him for a moment before she choked out, “That is a <em>terrible</em> idea.”</p><p>He shrugged and looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Like I said earlier, better you than them. ‘Sides, you’ve never ordered someone to do anything in your life. Everything’s always a question or a request.” He grunted when she hit him with a pillow, and they stared at each other for a moment before they both laughed. Small sparkles glittered in the air around Yachi’s face as she giggled, and Ken stared at her in awe. </p><p>“What?” She said, shyly smiling. </p><p>He shifted so he was staring up at the ceiling. “You lied. You don’t look anything like your profile picture.”</p><p>It sent Yachi giggling again, and she spotted the corner of his mouth flick up in a grin. “Do you feel catfished?” She teased.</p><p>He just shook his head, the smile growing slightly.</p><p>Yachi enjoyed the silence and the view. She drew her eyes down his frame unabashedly, soaking in every bit of Ken that she could. She could see the power in his frame, as lean as he was, and his words floated through her head: <em>You could tell me to obey you.</em> It made her want to laugh, the idea of someone like him obeying anyone’s orders. </p><p>She jerked up, and Ken was right behind her, looking around. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“I could tell you not to be obedient.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You are one of the most stubborn people I have ever met, online or in-person.” He looked like he wanted to argue this, but she pushed on. “It wouldn’t be the same as telling you to ignore the collar, since it wouldn’t be linked to the collar itself. It would just be shoring up part of your inherent personality.”</p><p>“...But wouldn’t that mean I wouldn’t listen to anything anyone asked of me?”</p><p>“You would just have to <em>want</em> to do them. Nobody could force you into anything. You would listen to someone if you trusted them, right?”</p><p>Ken nodded slowly. “I could live with that. Are you sure it would work?” </p><p>“Nope. But… I could layer it with another concept.” She paused, her mind whirring. “‘You are not obedient’ and… ‘You are free.’ That might be enough to overwhelm the collar... and they’re too broad for them to have put any sort of protection against them, I hope.” She looked down at him, and gently rested her hand on his arm. “This could hurt you.”</p><p>He pulled her down with a gentle tug and a strong look, and kissed her softly. “Do it.”</p><p>“D-Don’t you want to talk about it further?”</p><p>“If we wait any longer, your nerves might get the best of you.”</p><p>His comment had his desired effect when she squeaked and smacked him again with the pillow. The tension in the room dropped a hair, and he sat up. “Tell me where you want me.”</p><p>“H-here is fine.” Yachi took a breath, only to feel it catch. <em>Oh god, this might kill him if the collar is warded,</em> she screamed in her mind. <em>He might kill me if there’s no effect at all. This could all go wrong, oh god, oh god, what—</em></p><p>“Hitoka. I’m going to kiss you again.” His voice was pleasantly low in her ear, and she barely had time to realize what was happening before he was firmly planting his lips against hers. </p><p>This time was different. Ken was more aggressive in his kisses, pressing hard, nipping, and curling his tongue into her mouth, his lips never leaving hers for more than half a heartbeat. Yachi did her best to respond in kind, and felt herself sink into the experience. <em>More,</em> she thought, and whether it was her influence or Ken simply responding to the way she moaned softly into his mouth, he was suddenly leaning her over and pressing her into the bed, his frame braced around her. </p><p>He kept kissing her while one hand cupped her face and he languidly rubbed his body lightly against hers. Yachi felt like every nerve in her body was lit up, and she desperately shoved her hands inside his jacket to feel his strong body flex over hers. </p><p>A few minutes later Ken rolled off and took a few deep breaths. “Better now?” He asked as the back of his hand brushed against hers. Yachi nodded, releasing a shaky breath of her own. “Better,” she replied. “Let’s try.”</p><p>They sat on the bed, facing each other. Yachi, mind clear, had one hand pressed to the collar and another fluttering close to Ken’s temple. “I’ll r-release the collar first. If the ‘cleansing’ command worked, I won’t try to influence you. If it didn’t, tell me, and I’ll do it. Okay?” </p><p>He nodded, then hesitated. “...Kyoutani.”</p><p>Yachi tipped her head. “What?”  </p><p>“My name is Kyoutani Kentarou,” he mumbled. “I don’t know if you need my full name, but…”</p><p>She smiled. “Kyoutani Kentarou,” she said, trying it out on her tongue. “Nice to meet you. I’m Yachi Hitoka.” She paused. “C-Can I still call you Ken-chan?” </p><p>He gave a small smile back, just the barest curl of his lips, and nodded again. “Yeah.”</p><p>“Okay, Ken-chan. Ready?”</p><p>“Do it.”</p><p>Yachi held her breath and found her center, keeping her eyes locked on Ken’s, and released the wall of light around his collar. It fizzled away, and for a moment, it seemed like it had worked.</p><p>Then Ken’s eyes began to dilate. </p><p>He drew in a ragged breath and clenched his thighs with his hands. “<em>Do it</em>,” he forced out. </p><p>Her hand was instantly pressed against his head and she chanted the words over and over in her mind: <em>Kyoutani Kentarou, you are free. Kyoutani Kentarou, you are not obedient. You are free, Ken-chan. You are not obedient, Ken-chan.</em> She imagined a solitary wolf, howling at the moon atop a forested mountain, and a crow dancing in a bright blue sky. She thought of chains breaking and a collar, snapping loose. </p><p>And then, something fell into her lap. </p><p>Her eyes refocused as her concentration broke, and she looked down at the broken circle of leather on her knee. Slowly raising her head, she looked up into Kyoutani’s eyes. They were blank, unstaring. </p><p>“Oh god. Ken-chan? Kyoutani? Can you hear me?”</p><p>No response. The panic rose alongside the bile in her throat. </p><p>“Ken-chan? You can come back.”</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Desperation filled her veins. Grabbing his head with both her hands, she pushed their foreheads together. <em>Come back to me, Ken-chan,</em> she commanded, pulsing out her magic, but his body didn’t so much as twitch. </p><p>Tears poured down her face as her breath hitched. She couldn’t find the words. She didn’t know what to say to fix what she had surely broken. She pressed her lips to his, willing him to respond, and suddenly Ken’s voice in her echoed in her mind. </p><p>She shook as she gave him one more kiss. “I-I’m sorry. I love you.” Then, she forced her eyes shut. </p><p><em>You are not obedient, Ken-chan, to anyone but me. You are not obedient to anyone but me, Kyoutani Kentarou.</em> She took a breath. <em>So come back to me. Obey me, and return to your body.</em> </p><p>“Come back, Ken-chan.”</p><p>It was deathly silent for a moment, before a sleeve rustled and a finger lightly touched her knee. </p><p>“...I’m here.”</p><p>Yachi pulled back to look into honey-warm eyes, filled with life, and flung herself into his arms. </p><p>--</p><p>The two slipped out of the hotel room the next morning, exhausted but happy. Ken had assured her that it would be days before anyone noticed him missing, so they set off by train for Yachi’s hometown. It turned out those periods where he would disappear was when his captors released him on hunts, while the in-between times was when he was locked in a room that vaguely resembled a student’s apartment, if you could overlook the lack of windows and the reinforced door.</p><p>They spent the first day together, learning how to touch and how to exist alongside each other. The second day was spent collecting supplies. In the middle of the night of the third day, they showed up on the doorstep of Hitoka’s mother’s apartment. </p><p>After introductions, and assuaging Yachi-san’s reasonable fears and worries about the situation, Hitoka and Kentarou explained their plan. </p><p>“There are others in the facility where Ken was held. His sister and father might be there. And…” Hitoka looked at her mother. “D-Dad might be there too, if we’re lucky.” Her mother brought a hand to her mouth and glanced between the two of them. </p><p>“Do I want to know?”</p><p>“No,” Ken replied shortly, but not unkindly. “We need a name and a photo, if you have one.”</p><p>She shook her head. “No photos. He didn’t want me to get caught with any evidence in case…” Yachi-san drew in a sharp breath. “His name is Hideaki. His hair is the exact shade as Hitoka’s, and he’s just over 160 centimeters tall.”</p><p>Hitoka reached over the table and took her mother’s hand in her own. “We’ll tell him if we find him. And we’ll send word to you, if we can.”</p><p>Ken looked down at the table as both women began to cry. “This is good-bye, isn’t it?”</p><p>Hitoka nodded. “They… They’ll do everything they c-can to hunt us down.”</p><p>“Do you know where you’ll go?”</p><p>Hitoka and Ken exchanged glances. “There are some safe havens elsewhere. We have a few ideas,” Kyoutani replied. </p><p>They talked for several hours until Ken reluctantly brought up the fact that they should leave before dawn to minimize their chances of being seen. </p><p>The hug between Hitoka and her mother lasted several minutes and many whispered declarations of love. Hitoka giggled at Ken’s face when her mother wrapped him into a hug as well. “Take care of my daughter for me. Thank you for being there for her all these years.” Kyoutani nodded, and carefully hugged her back. “I will protect her with my life.”</p><p>“And that’s w-without me even ordering you to,” Hitoka teased through the tears, to which Ken rolled his eyes and her mother grinned. </p><p>They said one final good-bye before slipping out of the apartment and back to Yachi’s. They spent the day sleeping, touching, and talking before they collected their things as dusk settled around the town.</p><p>“Ready?” Ken asked, squeezing her gloved hand with his own as they stood in the doorway, shouldering a large duffel bag. </p><p>Hitoka looked around the apartment and the walls she had grown to loathe. She nodded resolutely, and gave him a small, twisted smile. </p><p>“Let the hunt begin.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>HQ Rarepair Week 2021, Day 5: <strong>Hurt</strong> | <strong>Comfort</strong> | Jealousy </p><p>Half-Faerie Yachi and her loyal Half-Hellhound Kyoutani is the action-adventure-romance I never knew I wanted until I sat down and started writing this. I hope you enjoyed reading it (⁀ᗢ⁀)</p><p>Come yell with me about HQ and other weeb things on <a href="https://twitter.com/HazukiNinja">Twitter!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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